Apple's website on Wednesday temporarily listed details for new Verizon iPhone customers, with voice plans starting at $39.99 per month, unlimited data for $29.99 per month, and 2GB of data tethering for an additional $20.

For a short time Wednesday morning, customers could view both the 16GB and 32GB CDMA iPhone models compatible with Verizon's network, which will be available for $199 and $299, respectively, with a two-year contract. The carrier's standard entry-level individual plan comes with 450 minutes for $39.99 per month, while 900 minutes costs $59.99 per month, and "Nationwide Unlimited" is $69.99 per month.

Verizon will also offer "Family SharePlans" with 700 minutes for $69.99, 1,400 minutes for $89.99, 2,000 minutes for $99.99 and "Nationwide Unlimited" for $119.99.

As was revealed earlier this week, Verizon customers will only be able to purchase an unlimited data plan for $29.99, with no lower-tier capped options available. However, the carrier has said that the unlimited plan will only be available for a limited time, as it plans to move toward a tiered system in the near future.

Tethering runs $20 per month, but only offers 2GB of data when using the new Personal Hotspot feature built into the iOS mobile operating system by Apple. Pricing on the tethering option was also previously revealed this week.

Finally, Verizon customers who buy the new iPhone can opt for pay-per-use text messaging at a rate of 20 cents per text or 25 cents for a picture or video. 250 messages costs $5 per month with a cost of 10 cents per additional message, while 500 messages (with unlimited messaging to other Verizon customers) is $10 per month. The unlimited texting plan matches AT&T at $20 per month.

Apple jumped the gun in listing the Verizon iPhone 4 in its online store -- preorders for existing Verizon customers are not set to go live until Feb. 3. The handset will be available to purchase to all when it officially goes on sale Feb. 10.

Later Wednesday morning, the pages were removed and visitors are now met with an error message: "Your request couldn’t be processed. We’re sorry, but there was an error processing your request. Please try again later."

The Verizon iPhone should do astronomically well in New York as there are so many customers that refused to switch to AT&T for an iPhone. All the dropped calls- expecially on the West Side of Manhattan, drops in elevators- doesn't seem to be a problem with Verizon. I know of 3 people in my office with Verizon Andoids all ready to pounce.

$39.99 just for voice, and you still have to pay for the phone?
I'm not even joking when I say this: why has no one "rebelled" and put a stop to this US cellphone extortion? As a european, I'd be disgusted if I had to pay $39.99 monthly for unlimited everything, let alone *just voice*!!

I never fail to be amazed by the amount that we are willing to pay for products that NEVER work 100% of the time... Don't get me wrong I have been an iPhone user since day one - but the prices in the US are just insane.

$39.99 just for voice, and you still have to pay for the phone?
I'm not even joking when I say this: why has no one "rebelled" and put a stop to this US cellphone extortion? As a european, I'd be disgusted if I had to pay $39.99 monthly for unlimited everything, let alone *just voice*!!

Why haven't you rebelled at the fact that practically everyone over there only uses cell phones for incoming calls?

I never fail to be amazed by the amount that we are willing to pay for products that NEVER work 100% of the time... Don't get me wrong I have been an iPhone user since day one - but the prices in the US are just insane.

$39.99 just for voice, and you still have to pay for the phone?
I'm not even joking when I say this: why has no one "rebelled" and put a stop to this US cellphone extortion? As a european, I'd be disgusted if I had to pay $39.99 monthly for unlimited everything, let alone *just voice*!!

And how many text messages are included in that unlimited everything? because EVERY carrier I've looked up has a "fair use" policy of 1,000 SMS a month or less. Some carriers impose a fair use restriction of 500MB for "Unlimited data" as well. How many minutes are considered unlimited under "Fair use" over there as well?

European carriers also don't include MMS or Video messaging in their texting plans like US carriers do (again, some might, but no carrier I've looked at). Calling landlines is also not included and can cost you up to $.50 a minute or more.

Things like Unlimited nights and weekends also don't exist, again on all the plans I've checked.

So yes, US carriers have higher prices, but they offer TOTALLY different plans than euro carriers do. A LOT of people in the US still rely on landlines, and these calls are among the most expensive (per minute) for carriers. So by cutting those out of the included calls, euro carriers are saving a boatload. If US carriers tried the same, there would be a revolt. Not to mention "fair use" texting. seeing people with 5k+ texting a month on one line really isn't uncommon here in the us.

In fact, if you have a 14 year old daughter, don't be surprised to see well over 10k texting a month.

And then on top of that you have land coverage issues. The us is a rather large country and more importantly the population density is a lot lower in the states than it is in the US, this leads to a LOT higher network/backhaul costs.

I'm glad your plan works well for you in Europe, but you're trying to compare apple's to oranges here. US plans and European plans are totally different in structure as well as cost to the carriers, so comparing them simply on price is pointless.

....but at these prices, no thanks. If I switch, I will lose my free weekend/evening minutes, rollover minutes, and I end up paying more for data access (while getting less as far as speed and multitasking). I also travel a few times each year.....CDMA won't make that possible.

Someone please clue me in why anyone would want tethering for $20 and be limited to 2GB. All the other smartphones would have internet access anyway and if you use your notebook to "browse", wouldn't 2GB be not enough? Especially if others join in.

@Menno

Quote:

Some carriers impose a fair use restriction of 500MB for "Unlimited data" as well.

Someone please clue me in why anyone would want tethering for $20 and be limited to 2GB. All the other smartphones would have internet access anyway and if you use your notebook to "browse", wouldn't 2GB be not enough? Especially if others join in.

@Menno

That should be 500GB, correct?

No it shouldn't. A UK carrier (tmobile I believe) rewrote their Fair use policy for data that it only includes 500MB of data, but they still bill it as "unlimited."

Before this I believe fair use was somewhere in the realm of 3GB of data a month.

To answer your other question, the tethering is actually a nice option if you want to have internet on the go for your netbook or something but you don't want a whole other device. It's really popular with businesspeople and retired couples, but it's not for everyone (for obvious reasons)

$39.99 just for voice, and you still have to pay for the phone?
I'm not even joking when I say this: why has no one "rebelled" and put a stop to this US cellphone extortion? As a european, I'd be disgusted if I had to pay $39.99 monthly for unlimited everything, let alone *just voice*!!

carriers gouge us in the US. but they will keep doing it as long as people pay them...

my iPhone is on t-mobile prepaid, i average $15/month and i still think it's too much.

sooo, $115 [+taxes/fees] for everything for TWO iPhones on ATT. [it comes out to $109 with all taxes because of my company discount. if you're not getting some sort of discount on your ATT plan, you're a fool. they have discount plans starting at 7% off basic service for anyone and everyone capable of showing them a pay stub

the requirement to carry an SMS plan PISSES ME OFF. texting is the biggest money maker for cell comapnies - massive, massive ripoff. we use textfree or email instead of SMS.

Someone please clue me in why anyone would want tethering for $20 and be limited to 2GB. All the other smartphones would have internet access anyway and if you use your notebook to "browse", wouldn't 2GB be not enough? Especially if others join in.

@Menno

That should be 500GB, correct?

I mostly use the hotspot to "fill the coverage gaps", e.g. for:

- listening to streaming music services on my iPod while at work (better sound quality than my phone)

- A handful of times I've hosted my hubby's 3G iPad when we're in an area w/Verizon signal but no AT&T.

The 2Gb lasts pretty well for me under those circumstances. The only thing I consciously avoid is video streaming. I'd love if the limit were 4Gb so I wouldn't have to worry about that either, but so far I haven't overrun the 2Gb limit yet.

$39.99 just for voice, and you still have to pay for the phone?
I'm not even joking when I say this: why has no one "rebelled" and put a stop to this US cellphone extortion? As a european, I'd be disgusted if I had to pay $39.99 monthly for unlimited everything, let alone *just voice*!!

Because there's nothing to use as an alternate for rebelling.

ALL the major cellcos have the same over-the-coals pricing plans. Pre-paid / pay-as-you-go providers are creeping up on those pricing plans as well. Virgin Mobile is the only PP service I've found in my part of the States that has anything resembling a reasonable pricing structure for services. This is why I've stayed with them for the past several years, and why I am now going to get an Android phone through them.

I really want an iPhone, but there's not a chance in hell that I'm going to pay Verizon or ATT that much for what VM offers at 1/3rd of the price. I'll just have to hope that I can tether my iPod when VM upgrades to FroYo.

for $40 a month, that customer gets:
450 Anytime minutes
Unlimited Verizon Wireless mobile to mobile
Unlimited Nights and weekends (starting at 9PM going to 6AM)
No nationwide long distance or roaming charges.
All the extras (voice mail, three way calling, call forwarding, caller ID, etc)

Still high. Maybe with new competition with the iPhone you guys might start to get some Loss and Retentions type deals for customers that threaten to cancel. Canadian carriers tend to gouge us, just like your US carriers, IMO, with their in market plans, but their retentions plans can be very compelling.

My voice plan is $30 and for that I get:
Unlimited calling to Canada US
No roaming charges from anywhere in Canada
Visual Voice mail, 3 way calling, caller ID
Unlimited texting to Canada and US

My data add on is $20 which gives me 6GB of data with tethering allowed for the entire allowance. For my usage,and for 99% of people I would think, 6GB is essentially unlimited. I've ever gone over 4GB and usually average 2-3GB, with tethering.

$50 for what is essentially unlimited everything. We now have actual competition, both through new carriers and with multiple carriers selling the iPhone, which has resulted in some what lower in market plans and far superior retentions plans. Hopefully, having Verizon and AT&T go at it for the iPhone business will spur them to start trying to retain existing customers. If T-Mobile and Sprint were to start carrying it, I think you would finally see some real value being offered.

"My 8th grade math teacher once said: "You can't help it if you're dumb, you are born that way. But stupid is self inflicted."" -Hiro.

How does tethering with a smartphone work on Verizon's network, when the phone can't be used for simultaneous voice and data? One of the nice things about tethering with the GSM iPhone is that I can make and take calls at the same time.

I don't see how you compared those two plans and those two prices and came up with "not good". They look very comparable to me. One plan you pay less for and get less, one plan you pay more for and get more.

How does tethering with a smartphone work on Verizon's network, when the phone can't be used for simultaneous voice and data? One of the nice things about tethering with the GSM iPhone is that I can make and take calls at the same time.

Call goes to voicemail if you're actively using data. Comes through if you aren't.

How does tethering with a smartphone work on Verizon's network, when the phone can't be used for simultaneous voice and data? One of the nice things about tethering with the GSM iPhone is that I can make and take calls at the same time.

Call goes to voicemail if you're actively using data. Comes through if you aren't.

I sure hope not. That implies that if you aren't actively using data, the call will come through, and then the poor sap who you told could use your wifi hotspot will not be able to do anything until you hang up the call.

Who would want simultaneous data and voice at the same time anyway? :-P

When you look at it in context to other countries we are not that bad. Most people have a far smaller geographic area in which their service works without having to pay roaming fees or switching out sim cards.

While in the US, our regularly paid service will cover over 3 million square miles with no additional roaming fees. It costs the carriers a lot of money to cover that much territory.

Its not entirely the carriers fault that they cannot cover every square inch with service. They have to work within the laws of physics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinghumans.com

I never fail to be amazed by the amount that we are willing to pay for products that NEVER work 100% of the time... Don't get me wrong I have been an iPhone user since day one - but the prices in the US are just insane.

Hell no I'm not switching, plus I don't think verizon would like my average of 70gb of data per month. Not to mention I love having the security of roll over minutes ect. Plus both my lines are set t where I can get the new device every year!

i already have an account with verizon. i am on my parents plan. what would be the difference in what i have now? i know i would have to pay the 30 for data but would i need to pay any additional for voice? or do i just stay on the same voice as before

Guess I will wait a while longer for an IPhone. Spending $70 a month is too much for the amount of use I would give an IPhone data. I really want an IPod Touch and a cell phone in one case. I spend enough on my internet access as it is. Everybody wants dollars/month from me and I am unwilling to do it all. Maybe Sprint will have a more affordable plan. Besides I will be getting an IPad2 as soon as they come out.

Guess I will wait a while longer for an IPhone. Spending $70 a month is too much for the amount of use I would give an IPhone data. I really want an IPod Touch and a cell phone in one case. I spend enough on my internet access as it is. Everybody wants dollars/month from me and I am unwilling to do it all. Maybe Sprint will have a more affordable plan. Besides I will be getting an IPad2 as soon as they come out.

...you honestly expected them to offer optional data? the iphone has ALWAYS required data, it will ALWAYS require data. Sprint's plan will also be $70 a month if they ever get it, but their price includes unlimited texting.

If you want a phone and a ipod touch in the same case, you're either looking at two devices, or you're paying for data. NO carrier will offer a device like that without requiring a data plan. It would be a customer service nightmare if they did. Consumers are too ignorant of how devices work for it to be feasible because they'll run up data charges and then demand credits. or they'll block data and then complain that picture messaging doesn't work.

$50 for what is essentially unlimited everything. We now have actual competition, both through new carriers and with multiple carriers selling the iPhone, which has resulted in some what lower in market plans and far superior retentions plans. Hopefully, having Verizon and AT&T go at it for the iPhone business will spur them to start trying to retain existing customers. If T-Mobile and Sprint were to start carrying it, I think you would finally see some real value being offered.

Sprint could easily offer the new CDMA-based iPhone and, if I were Dan Hesse, I'd be begging to get it at the next revision. Unfortunately, I think two other factors will determine when Spring gets the iPhone: production capacity and Apple prioritizing China and India in order to build more Apple mindshare in those countries.

Not sure when Apple would decide to deal with T-Mobile's oddball frequency band.

Sprint could easily offer the new CDMA-based iPhone and, if I were Dan Hesse, I'd be begging to get it at the next revision. Unfortunately, I think two other factors will determine when Spring gets the iPhone: production capacity and Apple prioritizing China and India in order to build more Apple mindshare in those countries.

Not sure when Apple would decide to deal with T-Mobile's oddball frequency band.

Plus if Sprint gets is, even they are not so desperate so give you the same subsidy that ATT and Verizon get. That's the thing about profit - it's hard to convince a company to do something for you if you don't let them make one.

The iPhone costs $600 for the basic version. If you expect Sprint to give it to you for $200, then you are going to have to figure out how they make up the $400 that they just gave you, PLUS the cost of delivering services. If it cost $400 up front to get the same rates Sprint normally gives, would you still be happy?

There are certainly people with more money than sense out there. I certainly won't pay $60 more/month for that privilege.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronj

Plus if Sprint gets is, even they are not so desperate so give you the same subsidy that ATT and Verizon get. That's the thing about profit - it's hard to convince a company to do something for you if you don't let them make one.

The iPhone costs $600 for the basic version. If you expect Sprint to give it to you for $200, then you are going to have to figure out how they make up the $400 that they just gave you, PLUS the cost of delivering services. If it cost $400 up front to get the same rates Sprint normally gives, would you still be happy?

Do you really think that if Sprint gets the iPhone that they will charge more for it than the other carriers?

Customer:"Hmm I can get the iPhone from AT&T or Verizon for $200, but it costs me $300 for Sprint. F that!"

Sprint is competitive on phone costs, so I don't see this as a remote concern.